writing a script for a tv show...?

Question

i wrote this script for a television show and so far have written about 11 episodes... how do i go about getting them seen by someone important?

Answer 1

An existing show.

All you can do is write the Executive Producer and ask if they will give you permission to submit. That is entirely up to them. If they have a no outside submissions policy you have to live with it.

Generally shows older than 4 years old often condsider outside submissions. Some new shows will also.

Understand how shows are written. Everyone one with a Producer credit, Script Editor credit and Story Editor credit is a staff writer and each week they get together and pitch ideas for the next show and the senior Executive Producer has final say based purely on whim.

Ideas are often re-works of other scripts.

For Dr. Who they were blatant about it. They had a Frankenstein script, a Dracula script.

One outside submission to Star Trek NG was pitched as a DAS BOOT in space.

They come up with every cliche and every wild idea they can.

As a result of this they may have ALREADY come up with the SAME idea you have and infact they may already have a script in the works and if you send in your sciprt and they say WE ALREADY DID THIS and reject it and you see the episode and it looks like your idea, you are inclined to get a lawyers.

Which is why they don't take outside submissions easily.

If you do decide to submit, don't sue people. You won't get far in the business.

Not until you have clout.

Also understand each show has what is called a BIBLE which dictates how a set episode functions.

Some actors are line counters and get miffed when a rival gets more lines than them.

Anyway these 12 people pitch ideas, when one is accepted they then FORMULATE a story together with a concept.

All stories have to have a concept.

Concept is

The past ( a person, place or thing) catches up with (Character in the show)

Then you have to work on conflict and resolution.

You also usually have to work on an innocuous sub plot.

These are ironed out and then ONE or TWO of the producers or editors is given the assignment to write the script or may ask to write it.

They have a week or so to finish a first draft.

In the case of an AGENTED writer, the known writer or their agent makes an appointment with one of the producers and the same type of pitch it made

The writer gives the concept, the conflics, the resolution.

The producer then either has say to commisson the script or takes the idea into the pitch session.

Your submissioni should have "coverage" a 2-6 line statement of the concept and conflicts.

It may or may not need a statement of resolution.

One writer who pitched a movie idea did his coverage as

Romeo and Juliet on Heroin.

That became Panic in Needle Park.

When my TV commercial partners pitch a show to Filmways it was

Time Life buys up National Lampoon. Suits and ties learn to live with long hair and sandals.

Cultural shock is the main concept.

It went to pilot but not series.

The script was written by two professions not my partners, they got SOURCE MATERIAL credit and would be Story Editors the first season if it went to series, which it didn't.

Answer 2

There are several writers, credited at the ends of the episodes. If you go on IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) and do a search for NCIS, you can find not only the cast but the 'behind the scenes' credits for every episode made. CBS.Com will also have details.

Answer 3

and they do not buy full scripts, they buy ideas and hire their own writers to work out the scripts, You really should not send in more than the Pilot script or idea. Unless it is dynamite, they are going to throw it in the trash.

Answer 4

You mail them into to literary entertainment agencies, or television producers/production companies. If they are interested, they will call you in.